Permanent waving



'Oct. 31, 1939. H. N. DURHAM ET AL PERMANENT WAVING Filed Nov 10, 19:53

Patented Oct. 31, 1939 PATENT oFFics PERMANENT WAVING Hobart ,N. Durham, Munsey Park, N. Y., and George B. Finnegan, In, Mountain Lakes, N. J., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Eugene, Ltd, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 10, 1933, Serial No. 697,430

3 Claims.

said lotion itself becomes the primary heating 7 medium. Specifically, said copending application discloses generation of heat within the hair waving lotion by causing an electric current to flow through an electrolytically-conducting tion. By virtue of suitably disposing said electrolyte-lotion and suitable opposing electrodes adjacent the hair, the heat generated within the lotion and the hot, moist hair waving vapors created thereby are directly presented to the wound tresses to effect a permanent waving action.

The present invention is directed to providing a process and means for electrically generating heat within a hair-waving lotion without requiring metallic electrodes for conducting current electrolytically through the lotion-electrolyte. By eliminating the necessity for metallic electrodes in contact with the lotion-electrolyte, it is possible to exercise a greater degree of flexibility in the choice of electrolytes without concern for any possible electro-chemical action or deposition on the electrodes and/or hair. Nevertheless, the process of the present invention has substantially the same advantages and desirable features as the process employing metallic electrodes, inasmuch as in both processes the translation of electrical energy into heat takes place in a liquid. Consequently, the elimination of danger from dry heating, overheating and scaldin and the avoidance of heavy and high temperature metal elements on the customers head are likewise objects and advantages of the present invention. The present invention also entails a saving in operating expense inasmuch as the elimination of relatively fragile metallic electrodes permits the use of materials which can be employed over and over again.

In general, the present invention contemplates the generation of electric currents within the electrolyte by induction. A source of alternating currents preferably of radio frequency having a wave length of from 600 to 2,000 meters is provided. For this purpose a vacuum tube oscillator may be used. While currents having a different wave length may be used, the range indicated is desirable for the reason that it is high enough to secure satisfactory heating results and low enough to transmit through leads of several feet in length without undue disturbance to the system. The high frequency currents are preferably conducted to a primary coil enclosing the electrolytic cell within which the electrolyte and hair curl are disposed. Currents induced within the electrolyte will heat the 10- tion and hair in substantially the same manner as in the patent referred to. As the electrolyte disappears by evaporation or otherwise, it is clear that the resistance will increase, resulting in a diminution of the intensity of induced currents, thereby providing rapid initial heating followed by only sufiicient heat to maintain a waving temperature.

In order to more fully explain this invention, reference will now be made to the drawing wherein Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of an illustrative embodiment of the present invention and including an oscillating circuit source of high frequency current.

Figures 2 and 3 are sectional views of primary coil curl-heating devices in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 4 is a view showing a hair waving pad for use with the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, transformer I is provided with a primary 2, adapted to be energized by alternating current of the usual supply mains such as 110 volts, at 60 cycles. This transformer is provided with a secondary 3, adapted to energize the cathode 5 of a vacuum tube 6. The plate supply is energized by another secondary I, having a lead 8. Lead 8 is connected by conductor 9 to the mid-point of secondary 3. Lead 8 is also connected through a radio frequency choke iii to a lead it from anode i2. is connected through a condenser l3 to one terminal M of an inductance l5. Inductively associated with it is another inductance, both of these having a common junction ll. it connected junction H with the other end of transformer secondary l. Inductances I5 and it are preferably so mounted as to have an adjustable degree of coupling therebetween. The top end of inductance H5 is connected through a leak 20 to a grid ieak 2| and shunting condenser 22, thence to grid 23 of vacuum tube 6. A coupling condenser 25 is connected across the A lead Lead ll upper terminals of inductances l5 and [6. By suitably proportioning the various inductances, condensers and grid leaks, it is possible to obtain oscillations in inductance [5. In order to prevent the radiation of such oscillations, it is desirable to shunt primary 2 of transformer I. with a condenser 30.

The various electrical constants are preferably chosen so that the frequency of oscillations is between 500 and 150 k. 0. corresponding to a wave length of between 600 and 2,000 meters. For the purposes to which this oscillatory energy is to be used, neither the constancy of frequency nor the wave form are important.

In order to utilize the oscillatory energy we preferably provide a pick-up coil 3| inductively associated with plate inductance l5. Coil 3| is connected by leads 32 and 33 to a pair of distributor rings 35 and 36. From these rings various leads may be taken to the cells to be hereinafter described.

The two oscillation circuits illustrated are of the self rectifying type. It is obvious, however, that any other oscillator circuit may be used.

The oscillator, shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, is preferably mounted within the base casting 5B of the permanent waving machine, which also serves for the support of the two conductors 32 and 33 by which the distributing rings 35 and 56 are supported above the customers head. Conductively connected with and depending from the distributing rings 35 and 36 are a plurality of pairs of flexible conductors 25! and 252, which supply the high-frequency current to the individual primaries 55 positioned about the individual curls, as will be more fully described.

For the purpose of localizing the induced current in the electrolyticaly-conducting liquid immediately adjacent the hair, we prefer to use the apparatus shown in Figures 2 to 4 of the drawing. This apparatus comprises a substantially helical coil conductively connected to a pair of distributor rings by means of the flexible leads 25! and 252, which together with the leads 32, 33 are approximately six feet long. In order to facilitate handling of these coils 55, they are preferably individua ly encased in molded insulating material, and as shown a tubular insulating member 60 of Bakelite has the primary coil 6| molded in it, and is open at both ends, being of sufficient internal diameter and length to slip over and encase a tress of hair wound on a curling rod 63 of Bakelite or other insulating material.

The hair itself may be moistened with an electrolytically conducting lotion immediately before the heating operation, or may be wrapped in a pad of absorbent material ll (Fig. 3) moistened with the electrolytically conducting lotion. In either case, the moist hair or the hair and moistened pad are preferably enveloped in a more or less impervious layer of material such as a sheet of parchment paper 72 which, after wrapping about the wound tress, may have its ends tied so as to hold it in position and form a substantially steam-tight seal about the curl. In wrapping the curl with the pad, it is preferable to have the ends of the absorbent 'Hl overlap in conducting relation to provide a cylinder which is As illustrative of the type of electrolytically conducting waving lotion which may be used in practicing the present invention, the following formula is given:

Water g 388 Ammonium hydroxide 26 cc 23 Ammonium carbonate g 37 Sodium chloride g 20 Boric acid g 35 to which may be added any desired hair treatin oils or other compounds such as are customarily employed in permanent waving lotions. In order to carry out the process of the present invention it is desirable to utilize a lotion having a relatively high conductivity, rather than the usual ammonia or ammonium carbonate solutions generally utilized in the conventional processes of permanent waving.

In accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention, means are provided for varying the amount of current induced within the electrolytically conducting lotion. As shown in Figure 4, the coil 8| is embedded in a molded Bakelite tube 82, and one end of the coil is conductively connected with a flexible lead 251. The other flexible lead 252 is connected with a metal resilient contact 34 which is embedded in a Bakelite annulus adapted to fit snugly over the exterior of the long Bakelite tube 82 and contact with taps 86 on coil 8|, thereby conductively and variably connecting the lead with the helical primary coil and is frictionally held thereon in the desired position. By variably positioning the ring 84 along the length of the Bakelite tube, the number of turns of the primary in circuit may be varied and thereby the heating of the wound curl may be varied or controlled.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What we claim is:

1. The method of waving hair, which comprises disposing a curl in an electrolyte, disposing said electrolyte in such relationship to a coil of wire so that the electrolyte is a secondary and the coiled wire is a primary and conducting currents having frequency between 500 and k. c. in said coil.

2. In combination, an insulating vessel containing a quantity of electrolyte, at least one hair curl disposed therein, a coil of wire associated with said electrolyte and forming the primary of a transformer system in which said electrolyte is a secondary, and means for supplying said coil with alternating currents of a frequency great enough to cause substantial circulating currents to be generated in said electrolyte.

3. In combination, an insulating vessel containing a quantity of electrolyte, a hair curl disposed therein, a transformer primary associated with said electrolyte, said electrolyte forming a secondary thereof and means for supplying said primary with alternating currents having a frequency between 500 and 150 k. c.

GEORGE E. FINNEGAN, JR. HOBART N. DURHAM. 

